Tesla’s Strategic Marketing Reset: Beyond Musk’s Shadow

In a bold corporate shakeup, Tesla has dismissed its entire marketing team, a surprising move that has sparked intense discussion about the company’s future branding strategies. This dramatic decision underscores Tesla’s unique approach to marketing, which has historically relied more on Elon Musk’s formidable personal brand than traditional advertising efforts. But his personal brand has not been positive for the company lately.

Despite competitors like Ford and General Motors investing heavily in advertising, Tesla has taken a minimalist approach, focusing on social media and price promotions. However, as the electric vehicle (EV) market matures and other carmakers intensify their EV offerings, Tesla’s branding strategy—or lack thereof—faces increased scrutiny. This article delves into the repercussions of Tesla’s marketing layoffs and discusses how this could be a crucial turning point for the brand, suggesting it might be time for Tesla to redefine its narrative and engage with an external creative agency.

More: https://www.fastcompany.com/91113609/tesla-axed-its-entire-marketing-team-heres-why-that-matters

Behind ‘The Bet’: Uncovering the Unaired ‘Seinfeld’ Episode on Elaine’s Gun Purchase

Amid the cultural phenomenon that was Seinfeld, a series revered for its approach to everyday quirks, there lies a nearly forgotten chapter—an unaired episode titled “The Bet”.

Originally scripted for the show’s second season, “The Bet” delves into the sensitive issue of gun ownership with Elaine Benes buying a gun, which leads to a series of darkly comedic mishaps.

This episode was ultimately shelved due to concerns from the cast about its content, particularly from Julia Louis-Dreyfus. The script remained unseen until a devoted fan recently brought it to light, offering a rare glimpse into what could have been a controversial but intriguing departure for the show.

Legendary Seinfeld writer Larry Charles never shied away from finding the humor in uncomfortable subject matter. Along with Mark Jaffe, Charles was responsible for creating “The Limo,” which placed Jerry and George smack-dab in the middle of a white supremacist organization. Charles made a mental patient commit suicide on the roof of George’s car in “The Bris.” And, in the unfinished Season Two episode“The Bet,” Charles attempted to put a Seinfeld spin on the hot-button issue of gun ownership by writing an entire storyline out of Elaine’s decision to exercise her Second Amendment rights with the same level of care and responsibility that she had when wielding her corporate card when she temporarily took over the J. Peterman Catalog. 

https://www.cracked.com/amp/article_41956_hero-seinfeld-fan-finally-releases-script-from-banned-episode-the-bet.html

For those curious to explore this unique script, it is now available for reading:

Read the unaired “The Bet” screenplay

Essential Updates to Florida’s Vote-by-Mail Regulations for 2024 Elections

Florida’s legislature has enacted new laws affecting vote-by-mail procedures for the 2024 elections. As a voter, understanding these changes is crucial to ensuring your ballot counts. Here’s what you need to know:

Understanding the Shift in Florida’s Vote-by-Mail Laws for 2024

Renew Your Vote-by-Mail Requests

Starting this election cycle, Florida voters will need to renew their vote-by-mail requests every two years instead of four. This change means that any requests filed before the end of 2022 are now expired. To continue voting by mail, you must submit a new request, ensuring you’re not left out during the upcoming elections.

Stricter ID Requirements

The new law requires voters to provide additional forms of identification when requesting a mail ballot. Be prepared to submit details like your Florida driver’s license number or the last four digits of your Social Security number.

Drop Box Limitations

The use of drop boxes now comes with added restrictions. These changes could affect your voting strategy, particularly if you relied on drop boxes in the past. Stay updated with your local election supervisors to understand where and how you can use drop boxes under the new regulations.

With these changes, it’s advisable to check your voter registration and mail ballot status well before election day. Encourage your network to do the same—spread the word and ensure everyone is ready and registered to vote under the new system.

To see the latest rules, visit https://dos.fl.gov/elections/for-voters/voting/vote-by-mail/

Wired Minds: Exploring the Neuroscience of Brand Influence

Every day, brands like Apple and Nike manage to stand out in a sea of advertisements, engaging not just our senses but our brains at a deeper, cognitive level. This isn’t magic—it’s science, specifically neuromarketing.

Neuromarketing merges neuroscience with marketing to understand how consumers’ brains react to marketing stimuli. This approach helps brands like Apple and Nike design campaigns that resonate on a neurological level.

Branding Agencies like Remixed specialize in leveraging neuromarketing techniques to craft marketing strategies that resonate deeply and create lasting brand loyalty. Employing a wide range of different tactics, from graphic design and web development to broadcast and interactive campaigns, ensures a consistent and compelling brand presence across all media.

By stimulating specific brain areas related to emotions and decision-making, neuromarketing allows for more effective and persuasive marketing strategies.

It’s “World Liver Day”: Top 5 Causes of Liver Disease

The liver is one of the most vital organs in the human body, responsible for regulating over 500 bodily functions, including detoxification, protein synthesis, and the production of chemicals necessary for digestion. Remarkably, the liver has the ability to regenerate itself, making it possible to recover from damage if detected early and managed properly. However, when the liver fails due to extensive disease or injury, the regenerative capabilities can be overwhelmed, and the only remaining solution often becomes a transplant. Understanding the primary causes of liver disease is essential not only for prevention but also for ensuring early intervention and treatment. Here, we explore the top five causes of liver disease to highlight the risks and emphasize the importance of liver health.

1. Excessive Alcohol Consumption: Chronic alcohol abuse can lead to fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, and eventually cirrhosis, which is severe scarring of the liver tissue.

2. Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD): Linked to obesity, diabetes, and high cholesterol, NAFLD occurs when fat accumulates in the liver in people who drink little to no alcohol.

3. Hepatitis Infections: Viruses like hepatitis B and C can cause chronic liver infections that may develop into cirrhosis and liver cancer if not properly managed.

4. Toxins and Drugs: Overdosing on certain medications like acetaminophen (Tylenol), exposure to toxins, and abuse of certain drugs can cause immediate liver damage or deteriorate liver health over time.

5. Autoimmune Diseases: Conditions like autoimmune hepatitis, where the immune system attacks liver cells, can lead to inflammation and chronic liver disease.

Conditions like autoimmune hepatitis, where the immune system attacks liver cells, can lead to inflammation and chronic liver disease.

Reassess Your Phone Security: Court Rules Cops Can Demand Thumbprint Unlocking

In a groundbreaking ruling, a US court has decided that law enforcement can legally compel suspects to unlock their phones using their thumbprints. This significant shift raises urgent questions about the intersection of technology and privacy rights. If you’re using biometric features like fingerprint or facial recognition for your phone’s security, it might be time to reconsider your privacy strategy. Read on to understand how this ruling could affect you and why a PIN might just be the safer option.

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/04/cops-can-force-suspect-to-unlock-phone-with-thumbprint-us-court-rules/

Move over LLM’s…. LAM’s are the new AI hotness.

Are you ready to give an AI direct control over your apps?

This is just an intermediate step, of course, because app interfaces are designed for human interaction. The machine doesn’t need big friendly buttons, it doesn’t need any user interface at all. It doesn’t even need users.

Top 10 Reasons why you should choose a Digital Agency with a Subscription/Credits billing model

Navigating the complexities of marketing in today’s digital landscape can be a daunting task for businesses. With the constant evolution of technology and consumer behavior, companies face the challenge of staying relevant and engaging with their audience effectively.

Choosing the right creative digital agency to augment a marketing team or person adds another layer of difficulty. Businesses must find a partner that not only understands their brand and goals but also possesses the expertise and innovation to drive meaningful results in a crowded and competitive market.

As businesses grapple with these marketing challenges, the choice of pricing model for partnering with a creative digital agency becomes crucial. Traditional billing models, based on hourly rates or project fees, often lead to unpredictable costs and can strain limited budgets.

On the other hand, a subscription-based pricing model offers a more sustainable and predictable approach. This model allows for better financial planning, with fixed monthly payments that provide access to a range of services tailored to the business’s needs.

The flexibility and cost-effectiveness of the subscription model make it an increasingly preferred option for companies looking to maximize their marketing efforts without the financial uncertainty of traditional agency billing methods.

Here are my top 10 reasons why a subscription/credits-based pricing model can be more advantageous than a traditional digital agency billing model for a business owner or marketing executive with limited budget, time, and resources:

  1. Cost Savings and Accounting Efficiency: A subscription model can offer significant cost savings compared to hiring a full-time employee or team for marketing efforts. With a subscription, you only pay for the services you need, without the added expenses of salaries, benefits, and training. Additionally, the fixed monthly cost makes it easier to account for marketing expenses in financial planning, providing a clear and manageable line item in the budget.
  2. Predictable Design Costs: A subscription model provides predictable monthly costs, allowing for easier budgeting and financial planning.
  3. Flexibility: Credits can be used for various services as needed, offering flexibility to adjust marketing strategies without changing contracts. Unused credits can roll over each month to meet changing schedules and deadlines.
  4. Scalability: Businesses can scale their marketing efforts up or down based on their current needs and budget constraints.
  5. No Long-Term Commitments: Subscription models often don’t require long-term contracts, giving businesses the freedom to opt out if their needs change.
  6. Access to a Range of Services: A credits-based system allows access to a wide range of marketing services without the need for separate contracts or negotiations.
  7. Cost-Effective: This model can be more cost-effective for small to medium-sized businesses that may not have the budget for large, upfront agency fees.
  8. Time-Saving: With a subscription model, businesses can save time by not having to negotiate and manage multiple contracts for different services.
  9. Transparent Pricing: Credits-based systems offer transparency in pricing, making it clear what services are being received for the cost.
  10. Focus on Core Business: Business owners and marketing executives can focus more on their core business activities rather than managing complex agency relationships and billing.

Overall, a subscription/credits-based pricing model offers a more flexible, scalable, and cost-effective approach to managing marketing efforts, particularly for businesses with limited resources. If you’re looking for an agency that does exactly this, consider Remixed.

Confused about Monoclonal Antibody Treatments? So was I.

A lot of people have asked, and since I have done some amount of personal research on this here’s what I’ve learned about the various monoclonal antibody treatments.

Due to a close-contact Covid exposure before Christmas, my transplant team recommended I get a monoclonal treatment. They sent me to the Florida State-run free monoclonal infusion website and I made an appointment and went last Wednesday and got the Regen-Cov infusion.

Currently in the US (as of 1/5/2022), there are four different approved monoclonal antibody infusions:

  • Regeneron – REGEN-COV (Casirivimab and Imdevimab) – 4 injections, each arm and 2 in stomach
  • Eli Lily – (Bamlanivimab and Etesevimab) – Administered via IV.
  • GlaxoSmithKlein – (Sotrovimab) – Administered via IV
  • AstraZeneca – Evusheld (Tixagevimab/Cilgavimab) – 2 intramuscular injections

As of last week, Florida was only distributing Regeneron and the Eli Lily brands. The GSK one is the version that data points to being the most effective against Omicron, but you can’t just assume you know which variant you have or been exposed to. Unless you’re doing some fancy test that the rest of us don’t have access to, the particular flavor of Covid anyone has is an unknown. While Omicron is the most common out there at the moment, there is still plenty of Delta around.

The AstraZeneca one isn’t recommended for people who have Covid or been exposed, but as a preventative for immunocompromised people who for whatever reason can’t do vaccines.

Like I said, I got the Regeneron 4 shot injection. After the injections I waited in the waiting area for about 30 minutes for observation before I was told I could leave. I didn’t notice any side effects at all.

Hope this info helps someone!

Florida Monoclonal Antibody Website